Hard-work ethic, team atmosphere key to new Pico Rivera city manager’s style

Renee Bobadilla has taken the reigns of Pico Rivera as its new city manager on Friday July 11, 2014. Bobadilla has decorated his office with baseball memorabilia. (Photo by Keith Durflinger/Whittier Daily News)

PICO RIVERA >> As he sat Friday in his office filled with baseball memorabilia — autographed baseballs, photos and bobbleheads — Rene Bobadilla spoke about what he learned playing America’s game, and how he will use them to successfully lead this city.

“Baseball is a game of failure, but in that failure there is still success,” he explained. “If you go up to bat 10 times, and get out seven times, you are batting .300, and that’s a great average.

Bobadilla, who played baseball from age 6 through college, said that type of teamwork is what will help boost employee morale as he now fills the role of city manager in Pico Rivera.

“We’re all in this together,” the new city manager emphasized. “I will not hold staff accountable, but myself.”

Because of layoffs, furlough days and other issues, city employees’ morale has been affected.

“He was brought in here to help with morale,” said Councilman David Armenta about Bobadilla’s selection among five finalists. The city received 30 applications for the position vacated by Ron Bates.

Bobadilla took the reins June 27 and will be paid $220,000 annually.

“His leadership style is what we need here,” he added. “He’s not afraid to take on tough situations, and he will work well with employees.”

Armenta was not concerned that this is Bobadilla’s third city managerial position in two years.

Bobadilla, 43, served as city manager of El Monte, where he was born and raised, from early 2010 until his resignation in July 2012, when he took the same position at the city of Huntington Park. He still had about five years left on his contract with the latter city.

“In El Monte it was a political thing,” Armenta said. “A life of a city manager is five years if you’re lucky.”

Councilman Gustavo Camacho concurred.

Advertisement

“He just hadn’t found the city he was looking for, but now it’s the right fit for both him and the city,” Camacho said. “Rene’s qualifications took precedence over any concern over the short periods of time in his past jobs.”

Bobadilla called his time in Huntington Park an aberration, and admitted to first saying no to any consideration of applying for the Pico Rivera opening.

But he saw it as advancement to his career and a way to be part of having a say in a lot of planned infrastructure ventures in Pico Rivera.

A key for Bobadilla in deciding to apply for the position, and a strong reason for his eventual hiring, is the $100 million the city has to spend on several projects, including the replacement of at least two bridges in the city.

“His background as a civil engineer is a definite plus for us moving forward with future projects,” Camacho said.

Prior to being hired in 2008 as a public works maintenance superintendent in El Monte, Bobadilla, who is the divorced father of two daughters, worked as a civil engineer for the County of Los Angeles for 10 years, as well as in the private sector.

“Having grown up in the area, and learned a hard-work ethic from my immigrant parents, and seeing how things have progressed in Pico Rivera, I feel confident we can do great things here,” Bobadilla said.